SECTION TWO: HUMAN-USE of LASERS

SECTION TWO: HUMAN-USE of LASERS

TRAINING:

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Practitioners who apply to become an ALU for human-use shall have a minimum of eight (8) hours of structured traini= ng.

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<= span style=3D'font-family:"Courier New";mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New"'><= span style=3D'mso-list:Ignore'>o&nb= sp;      A minimum of four (4) hours shall be classro= om type training covering:

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<= span style=3D'font-family:Wingdings;mso-fareast-font-family:Wingdings;mso-bidi-f= ont-family: Wingdings'>§         Fundamentals of lasers, types and characteristics

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<= span style=3D'font-family:Wingdings;mso-fareast-font-family:Wingdings;mso-bidi-f= ont-family: Wingdings'>§         Effects of laser EM radiation on tissue (eyes and skin)

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<= span style=3D'font-family:Wingdings;mso-fareast-font-family:Wingdings;mso-bidi-f= ont-family: Wingdings'>§         Clinical applications of lasers

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<= span style=3D'font-family:Wingdings;mso-fareast-font-family:Wingdings;mso-bidi-f= ont-family: Wingdings'>§         Laser safety

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<= span style=3D'font-family:"Courier New";mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New"'><= span style=3D'mso-list:Ignore'>o&nb= sp;      A minimum of four (4) hours shall be hands-on practical training with the types of lasers and at the wavelengths that wil= l be used in clinical application by the practitioner.

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Practitioners shall document the completion of one (1) hour of laser safety refresher and four (4) hours of clinical application of lasers annually.

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Practitioners must also meet training requirements established by applicable licensing boards and agencies of Texas.

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Documentation of training shall be in a manner approved by the LSSC.

PERMIT FOR HUMAN-USE OF LAS= ERS:

·        All intentional exposure of humans to laser radiation from a Class 3b or Class 4 laser must be by a practitioner of the healing arts who is also designated as an Authorized Laser User by the UTMB LSSC, or by persons under their direct supervision.

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·        Research protocol involving the intentional exposure of humans to laser or IPL device radiation must be reviewed and approved by both the UTMB IRB and the UTMB LSSC.

Faculty members who wish to use Class 3b or Class= 4 lasers on humans at UTMB shall submit a Laser Use Permit Application to the LSSC.

<= span style=3D'font-family:"Courier New";mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New"'><= span style=3D'mso-list:Ignore'>o&nb= sp;      A Laser Use Permit Application may be submit= ted by a single faculty member or by a group of faculty members in the same department.

SECTION TWO: HUMAN-USE OF LASERS (CONTINUED)

<= span style=3D'font-family:"Courier New";mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New"'><= span style=3D'mso-list:Ignore'>o&nb= sp;      Where more than one faculty member is listed= on the application, the Department Chair will designate one of the faculty mem= bers to serve as Permit Administrator.

<= span style=3D'font-family:"Courier New";mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New"'><= span style=3D'mso-list:Ignore'>o&nb= sp;      For each applicant, the application shall li= st the types of lasers and the medical procedures for which authorization is b= eing requested.

<= span style=3D'font-family:"Courier New";mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New"'><= span style=3D'mso-list:Ignore'>o&nb= sp;      If the laser(s) for which authorization is b= eing requested does not belong to the faculty member’s department, the application must also be signed by the registrant for the laser(s) as designated on the Laser Registration.

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Only those faculty members who are licensed practitioners and who meet the training and experience requirements for human-use will be designated by the LSSC as being qualified to use Cla= ss 3b and Class 4 lasers on humans at UTMB.

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REQUIREMENTS FOR PROTECTION AGAINST CLASS 3b 0R 4 LASERS AND IPL DE= VICE RADIATION:

·        Personnel Protective Equipment (PPE)

o   &nb= sp;   Eye protection shall:

<= span style=3D'font-family:Wingdings;mso-fareast-font-family:Wingdings;mso-bidi-f= ont-family: Wingdings'>§         Be provided for patients when their eyes are potentially within the NHZ.

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-   &nb= sp;     Patient eye shielding may take the form of glasses, goggles, eye pads, corneal shields adequate to protect against the waveleng= th and intensity of the laser in use. <= /span>Gauze pads are not sufficient for las= er eye protection.

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-   &nb= sp;     Patient eye shielding is in no way intended to rest= rict or limit the use of laser radiation intentionally administered for therapeu= tic or diagnostic purposes.

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NON-BEAM HAZARDS:

Fire

o   &nb= sp;   Extreme caution shall be exercised when lase= rs are used in medical procedures in the presence of combustible and/or flamma= ble materials.

SECTION TWO: HUMAN-USE OF LASERS (CONTINUED)

EMERGENCY PROCEDURES:

Notification of injury or death

o &nb= sp; Any UTMB faculty, staff or student who becom= es aware of a medical event caused by a Class 3b or Class 4 laser or an IPL de= vice shall immediately notify the Radiation Safety Office and Clinical Risk Management.